With all the celebrations in 2009 for BARBIE being 50 in New York to Lakme and Dubai Fashion Week, they may have told you how fashionable Barbie is, but do you know her actual history?

Can you imagine that it all started with a little girl called Barbara, whose mother Ruth Handler noticed playing with paper dolls and imaging them to be grown up roles? Ruth then realized that the only dolls available at the market at that time were baby dolls. A need for a doll inspiring little girls to think about what they wanted to be when they grew up arised.

And that's when the idea of Barbie, the Teenage Fashion Model was born. As you can notice the name Barbie was inspired by Ruth's daughter Barbara. "Barbie has always represented that a woman has choices." says Ruth Handler. Barbie's first appearance was in the famous black-and-white striped swimsuit and signature ponytail in 1959, which was a hit.

At the start of the 60's Barbie wore sophisticated and elegant styles inspired by Paris runways and designed by Charlotte Johnson, Barbie doll's first fashion designer. The mid sixties fashions and popular bubble-cut hairstyle were inspired by the style of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

The first Barbie doll was sold for $3.00 and Barbie's first boyfriend, Ken, debuted in 1961, who was named after the son of Ruth and Elliot Handler.

Barbie had different reactions from the people at that time, while the majority didn't approve, some thought it was a good and innovative idea. We can tell you more about how her style changed over the years, but wouldn't it be more interesting to know how leading international designers are collaborating to make Barbie look her best?

Celebrations for Barbie being a global Fashion Icon for 50 years had many ways; starting off with Top designers from around the world designing outfits and gowns for Barbie kicking it off with New York Fashion week. Barbie doll as Heidi Klum; a part of Barbie's Blonde Ambition Collection, which is a series that celebrates iconic blondes in fashion and entertainment such as Marilyn Monroe and Goldie Hawn.

And when Barbie needed a hot pair of heels to celebrate her 50th year, it would be Christian Louboutin to whom she would turn. "Barbie is such an icon; how could I resist such collaboration?" Christian Louboutin. Christian Louboutin for Barbie doll with a jewellery thief theme launched in December 2009 and will be sold on Net-A-Porter.com. Last but not least there was the collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld who was chosen to have a special exhibition for Barbie in Paris.

Moving on to the latest news about Barbie, the Twilight Saga, which struck the hearts of millions are now available for all Twilight and Barbie fans and collectors.

She may be just a doll but we all once owned one and enjoyed playing with it. Shallow or not Barbie is a Fashion Icon, top fashion designers have stated this through the many celebrations and fans throughout the years are definitely a proof of that.